“Yid with Lid” ran this scathing headline (in the screencap below) yesterday, and pointed out why Nye just doesn’t have a clue. The tornado data following eviscerates Nye’s claims, who seems unable (or maybe unwilling) to Google his own claims for accuracy before bloviating them on CNN.
The screencap source at “Yid with Lid” is here, and the article goes on to explain and prove the headline correct. But, while Nye is taunting Inhofe, his own claims go up in flames with a simple examination of data.
When Nye Tweeted Monday he’d be on CNN with Piers Morgan, I gave him some advice:
Which he promptly ignored, from The Blaze:
During CNN’s live coverage of the deadly Oklahoma tornado on Monday night, host Piers Morgan and Bill Nye speculated on the possible role of climate change in the disaster.
“As a scientist, when you hear about the size, scale, power, devastation of this tornado, what does it tell you about the ongoing debate about climate change?” Morgan asked his guest.
Nye said climate change has to be considered after a catastrophic weather event like the devastating tornado in Oklahoma. He also claimed 10 of the last 12 years are the “warmest years recorded.”
“Thunderstorms are driven by heat and a tornado is a super thunderstorm — result of a super thunderstorm. So you’ve got to figure that if there’s more heat driving the storm then there’s going to be more tornadoes. Now this is the kind of thing that is worth investigating,” he added.
Watch the video at the Blaze here
I agree, it is worth investigating, all you need is about 20 seconds on Google to figure out Nye’s claim is totally unsupportable.
Dr. Roger Pielke Jr. Points out on Twitter, the map we carried in this post: The 2013 Moore Oklahoma Tornado – a synopsis
Fact of the day: In US 1953-1982 saw 38 F5/EF5 tornadoes (30 yrs) from 1983-2013 (30 5/12 yrs) there were 20. Source: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/f5torns.html …
From NOAA SPC:
This is a map and list of tornadoes since 1950 which the National Weather Service has rated F5 (before 2007) or EF5 (equivalent, 2007 onward, the most intense damage category on the Fujita and Enhanced Fujita damage scales. The tornadoes are numbered in the order they happened since 1950; so the numbers run from the bottom up. NOTE: Since the (E)F-scale is a subjective damage assessment tool, official NWS ratings (as logged in Storm Data and in the NSSFC/SPC database) may differ on occasion from those of other tornado databases, such as those of the Tornado Project or University of Chicago.
[Note: I’ve made the post 1983 F5 tornadoes blue, and the pre 1983 F5 tornadoes red in the table below – Anthony]
================================================= NUMBER DATE LOCATION ====== ===================== =========================== 59 May 20, 2013 Moore OK 58 May 24, 2011 El Reno/Piedmont OK 57 May 22, 2011 Joplin MO 56 April 27, 2011 Rainsville/Sylvania AL 55 April 27, 2011 Preston MS 54 April 27, 2011 Hackleburg/Phil Campbell AL 53 April 27, 2011 Smithville MS 52 May 25, 2008 Parkersburg IA 51 May 4, 2007 Greensburg KS 50 May 3, 1999 Bridge Creek/Moore OK 49 April 16, 1998 Waynesboro TN 48 April 8, 1998 Oak Grove/Pleasant Grove AL 47 May 27, 1997 Jarrell TX 46 July 18, 1996 Oakfield WI 45 June 16, 1992 Chandler MN 44 April 26, 1991 Andover KS 43 August 28, 1990 Plainfield IL 42 March 13, 1990 Goessel KS 41 March 13, 1990 Hesston KS 40 May 31, 1985 Niles OH 39 June 7, 1984 Barneveld WI 38 April 2, 1982 Broken Bow OK 37 April 4, 1977 Birmingham AL 36 June 13, 1976 Jordan IA 35 April 19, 1976 Brownwood TX 34 March 26, 1976 Spiro OK 33 April 3, 1974 Guin AL 32 April 3, 1974 Tanner AL 31 April 3, 1974 Mt. Hope AL 30 April 3, 1974 Sayler Park OH 29 April 3, 1974 Brandenburg KY 28 April 3, 1974 Xenia OH 27 April 3, 1974 Daisy Hill IN 26 May 6, 1973 Valley Mills TX 25 February 21, 1971 Delhi LA 24 May 11, 1970 Lubbock TX 23 June 13, 1968 Tracy MN 22 May 15, 1968 Maynard IA 21 May 15, 1968 Charles City IA 20 April 23, 1968 Gallipolis OH 19 October 14, 1966 Belmond IA 18 June 8, 1966 Topeka KS 17 March 3, 1966 Jackson MS 16 May 8, 1965 Gregory SD 15 May 5, 1964 Bradshaw NE 14 April 3, 1964 Wichita Falls TX 13 May 5, 1960 Prague OK 12 June 4, 1958 Menomonie WI 11 December 18, 1957 Murphysboro IL 10 June 20, 1957 Fargo ND 9 May 20, 1957 Ruskin Heights MO 8 April 3, 1956 Grand Rapids MI 7 May 25, 1955 Udall KS 6 May 25, 1955 Blackwell OK 5 December 5, 1953 Vicksburg MS 4 June 27, 1953 Adair IA 3 June 8, 1953 Flint MI 2 May 29, 1953 Ft. Rice ND 1 May 11, 1953 Waco TX ============================================================
Let’s look at the NOAA plot of F3+ tornadoes:
Now compare that chart with US temperature data for the same period:
Source: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/time-series/us/tmp/ytd/110/00/12/1953-2013?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1901&endbaseyear=2000&trend=true&trend_base=10&begtrendyear=1895&endtrendyear=2012
The majority of violent tornadoes occurred in the cooler periods of US history.
So, no matter how you look at it, Nye’s claim of…
““Thunderstorms are driven by heat and a tornado is a super thunderstorm — result of a super thunderstorm. So you’ve got to figure that if there’s more heat driving the storm then there’s going to be more tornadoes.”
…gets flattened with a simple inspection of temperature and tornado data.
If Bill Nye really is a “Science Guy”, you’d think he’d want to check his claims against real-world data before going on international TV, especially after being admonished to do so. Apparently not.
As Yid With Lid points out, “Perhaps his Bow Tie is on a bit too tight.”
Of course, this seems to be a pattern for Nye, who made unsupportable claims in a paid video production for Al Gore, and got flattened by the recreation of the “high school physics” experiment. He still hasn’t come clean on that one. See:
Al Gore and Bill Nye FAIL at doing a simple CO2 experiment
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Blue Sky says:
May 23, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Dear Bill,
In was a great day, last Monday at Lehigh, as my daughter was graduating(with a job)…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
glenncz says:
May 23, 2013 at 2:36 pm
Bill Nye was the main commencement speaker at my daughters Lehigh University graduation ceremony this past Monday…
____________________________
“It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.”- Steven Wright
Wait a minute, tornados are not driven by heat like thunderstorms, they are driven by cold fronts intersecting a warm front with all the atmospheric instability that the temperature differences cause. This is not the only cause but it is by far the dominate one.
Severe convection that results in tornadic activity occurs when two very different air masses collide. The greater the temperatures difference from one side of the front or trigger to the other, the greater the lift, and the more dramatic the weather. So it is our colder than normal weather that has a direct link to the deadly tornadoes that have ravaged the Midwestern states.
The scientists can’t figure that out?
Natural Climate change has been hiding in plain sight http://climatechange90.blogspot.com/2013/05/natural-climate-change-has-been.html
Reblogged this on CraigM350 and commented:
Ambulance chaser Nye. Shameful.
@ur momisugly Mark Folkestad & Jack Simmons, thanks F Ross
This is hardly the forum for detail history debates, however this being MEMORIAL DAY weekend, and Bill Nye mention of his WAR HERO father, this a brief clarification is allowable. Chinese Emperor Hsian T’ung did abdicate in 1912, was reinstalled by the Japanese in Manchukuo from 1932 to 1945. He was replaced by pseudo-emporerors, Sun Yat-sen, et al. Japan had been humiliated by the Admiral Perry Black Navy invasion in 1853 and took revenge during the Civil War, seizing the US island territory of Chichi Jima, as the Russian Navy aided the Union blockade, British forces aided the Confederacy and France invaded Mexico. China had been weakened by the European Opium Wars and was invaded in the Sino-Japanese War of 1895-19896, and Japanese Imperialism followed with the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, the Manchurian Invasion in 1931 and of China proper 1937.
Chinese Gold stocks were reported as worlds largest, and were moved to the US for save keeping and to buy war material, including support from the American Volunteer Group, including ace pilot and author, “Tex Hill, Flying Tiger”. His autobiography was posted after the 50 year US government ordered classified WW II Pacific Theater moratorium expired as well as “Ship Of Ghosts” on the captured sailors of the USS Houston, by James Hornfischer. These men survived the Bataan Death March and built the Thai [Japanese] railroad, including the Bridge over the River Kwai. Other classified for 50 years material is in “Flyboys” by James Bradley. Bill Nye should review this uncensored material for a clearer memory of his dad. For more on the Sino-Japanese history see
http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=59
There was a brief news item last summer on ~$200 billion in US Gold Certificates found by customs officials on the Italian-Swiss border, and reputed to be the from the original Chiang Kai-shek transferred reserve. We are fed far more faux history than faux science, skeptics should be welcome in both camps. Thanks to all veterans, and as a tribute, all Americans are requested to read just one book, on one war, or one battle, or one HERO….and reflect on the Truth they sacrificed for you to find. There has been centuries long war of Imperialist destruction vs empirical Truth….and as the youtube video explains….”All Wars Are Bankers Wars”. Peace.
Mark Folkestad says:
May 23, 2013 at 10:27 am
Joseph A. Olson, you have a unique view of history. Puyi, the last emperor of China, abdicated in 1912, and the monarchy was officially abolished by China in 1916. There was no emperor to send gold to the USA in the years leading up to WWII. It is unlikely, in any event, that we would send six battleships to transport gold, and, if we had done so, the battleships would have had a great deal of difficulty in reaching Kentucky.
=====================================================
Every time read something like Mr. Olson wrote, it makes me think that he is either a troll here to try to make us look like the conspiracy nutters that the CAGW crowd (Cook/Lewindowski) say we are.
Either that or he is just nuts.
Tom R.
The sad thing is that many more people get their climate information from Bill Nye on CNN than from this blog or other sources that have a more scientific approach.
He also claimed 10 of the last 12 years are the “warmest years recorded.
Did he forget about 1998? Another fact that may be of interest: With RSS, 2012 ranks 11th, and 2011 ranks 13th, and 2008 is 22nd. So three of the last five years are not even be in the top ten!
True sign of a troll is anonymous post name like “Tom R, Worc, MA” with no web link. I use my REAL NAME, i’ve been a Registered Professional Engineer for 29 years and have a life long passion for knowledge, with a reading hobby in science and history. I’ve read literally thousands of college level texts. I’ve been to Europe eight times, sailed the Nile for three weeks and toured vast portions of America and Mexico. I have authored +150 major articles on science and history with 61 in archive at Canada Free Press, dozens posted at Drudge Report, Brietbart, Climate Depot and cross linked to tens of thousands of websites in 25 foreign languages. My post name has direct web-link to my articles and other media presentations. Zombies need not be bothered by “conspiracies” so you can return to your pre-comment coma, sanctimoniously snug about protecting your fellow zombies from a “nutter”.
I do not write for zombies….real humans KNOW that we have a defective “reality”….
and search for Truth.
Re: Joseph A Olson says:
May 23, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Too true.
People always joke about zombie apocalypses, but the funniest thing is we already have one. It just isn’t the same kind as the ones in the movies.
Basic meteorological misunderstanding here. Cumulonimbus clouds (and thus tornados) are NOT driven by heat, they are driven by a difference in temperatures (preferably hot at the bottom and cold at the top, with a large lapse-rate). This is why you can get severe weather on very cold planets and moons.
.
Remember the average IQ is 100 that means 50% of the voters are not exactly the sharpest knifes in the drawer and get most if not all of their information from TV. They really do not care about the ~16% with IQs above 115 who have the curiosity and reasoning ability to look behind the propaganda.
A long-awaited federal study finds that an estimated 32 million adults in the USA — about one in seven — are saddled with such low literacy skills that it would be tough for them to read anything more challenging than a children’s picture book…
A lot of other adults are too busy trying to earn a living to even pay attention to what is going on except for maybe a half hour of main stream news in the evening. That is why propaganda works so well.
Horse says:
May 23, 2013 at 8:38 am
We don’t want Piers Morgan back.
I have to agree with this. Not for nothing does Private Eye refer to him as Piers Moron.
This is so sad. I used to think Bill Nye was smart. What the hell happened to him?
Eve Stevens says:
May 23, 2013 at 3:30 pm
Severe convection that results in tornadic activity occurs when two very different air masses collide. The greater the temperatures difference from one side of the front or trigger to the other, the greater the lift, and the more dramatic the weather. So it is our colder than normal weather that has a direct link to the deadly tornadoes that have ravaged the Midwestern states.
The scientists can’t figure that out?
It is much more easy to sell snake oil then to explain unpopular plain science based on data and get all the flak from cultists.
With the politic correct culture, it is more important to say politic correct sentences then to say the truth – this seems to be the guideline for many public figures.
The question is if he is so stupid no to understand or so indifferent not to check the truth of the statement, so used to the snake oil mantra that he is no longer able to discern the truth or he doesn’t care?
You woke up Kevin. 🙂
I guess you’re right, badbeta. It just makes me so sad. I chose a path in science largely based upon Nye and his goofy TV show. I loved it and loved everything he did. Some of the stuff he did on that show was like magic before I learned how to do it. Heck, some of it is like magic even today, even though I’m a chemical engineer now and know how to do them all now. He did so many cool and fun science tricks. But now he’s wasted that all with his belief in ‘consensus’ science as if that were a real substitute for ACTUAL science.
So sad. I’m so sad that it’s painful. I really liked him – kind of like a father figure. Don’t you still believe in the scientific method, Bill? It just feels like a big loss. I’ll get over it I guess, but not quickly or easily. He was a big part of tv science. Now he’s a tool :(.
Question: If you have two identical silica glass bottles (closed to the air), except one is filled with nitrogen/oxygen, and the other with 100% CO2, and you put them in identical sunlight for the same amount of time, which bottle interior will be warmer and why?
Would it be unreasonable to say that the one with some oxygen in it would be WARMER? Yes, I said warmer. The glass in each bottle would block the UV and IR components of the spectrum of sunlight equally. According to the absorption spectrum info below, oxygen appears to absorb a tiny bit in the visible spectrum (400-700 nm), whereas carbon dioxide does not. Hence, the gases in the nitrogen/oxygen would tend to warm relative to the CO2 bottle.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Atmospheric_Transmission.png
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=absorption+spectrum+carbon+dioxide&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=absorption+spectrum+carbon+dioxide&sc=0-21&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=8131DB44279F9512E8E54B66AE5BF0E152936FBF&selectedIndex=3
I would add that this experiment cannot be generalized to the Earth’s atmosphere, as it is
1) not enclosed by glass
2) not enclosed at all, thus permitting convective and radiative heat transfer
3) also contains water vapor
Opinions, please.
What the hell is Nye on about, anyway? Tornados simply aren’t driven by heat. They’re caused by discontinuities in a laminar flow of wind across the landscape.